WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange ill with COVID-19 in London’s Belmarsh prison
October 10, 2022, 7:30 pm

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange ill with COVID-19 in London’s Belmarsh prison

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been held for more than a year and a half as he fights extradition to the United States. (Reuters)

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has tested positive for COVID-19, his wife said on Monday (Oct 10), as she battles his extradition to the United States, the AFP reported, the al-Arabiya said.

“Julian was feeling unwell last week but started feeling sick on Friday,” Stella Assange was quoted as saying by the Press Association news agency. “He started coughing and had a fever. He was given some paracetamol. He tested positive for COVID on Saturday.”

Thousands of people formed a human chain around the UK parliament in London on Saturday to demand Assange’s release from London’s Belmarsh prison.

The Australian national, now 51, has been held at the high-security jail since 2019, after serving time for skipping bail in a previous case.

As the pandemic took hold in early 2020, he unsuccessfully applied to be released on bail because of the risk of contracting COVID in prison.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange ill with COVID-19 in London’s Belmarsh prison - Photo. Pixabay

His lawyers said at the time he had a history of illness, including respiratory infections.

Stella Assange, who married Assange at Belmarsh in March and is the mother of their two young sons, said she was concerned for his health.

UK approves U.S. extradition of WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange

“The next few days will be crucial for his general health. He is now locked in his cell for 24 hours a day,” she added.

Assange skipped bail in 2010 over Swedish attempts to extradite him in connection with a sexual assault case and took refuge in the Ecuador embassy.

The case was dropped in 2019 and he lost his asylum status after a change of government in Quito, leading to his arrest and incarceration.

Julian Assange to be extradited to the United States to face espionage charges

In August, Assange’s lawyers launched legal action against the CIA for allegedly eavesdropping on private conversations with him at the mission.

He is appealing against UK approval of his extradition to stand trial for divulging US military secrets about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

source: alarabiya

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”